


the key (to your heart)

by twiceinamillion



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: 2jin - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Attempt at Humor, Cottagecore, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Pining, Sorry!, any more tags would spoil the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:07:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24699544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twiceinamillion/pseuds/twiceinamillion
Summary: kim hyunjin, the most beautiful woman in town, has just announced that she'll only marry the one who can open her front door with the key around her cat's neck.soon, her front lawn is flooded with potential suitors, trying to hunt, chase and catch it (to no avail).and jeon heejin, hyunjin's former childhood friend, has a front-row seat.(this idea was taken from a tumblr post!)
Relationships: Jeon Heejin/Kim Hyunjin
Comments: 30
Kudos: 174





	1. say oh my god (yes)

it's another calm morning in the small town.

and in her cozy cottage, heejin pets her rabbit softly, the little animal's ears twitching slightly as she holds it tenderly in her arms.

the little animal sniffs at the crook of her elbow, its little heart thumping lightly, and the girl lets out a giggle as she lets it pad softly into her lap.

leaning back, she relaxes into her favourite soft chair, eyes glancing at the clock on her wall before returning to the little bunny on her thighs.

"you're so adorable, aren't you?" she cooes at it as if it’s a baby, stroking it carefully, her soft hands caressing its soft fur-

until frantic knocking at heejin's door startles the little bunny - and the girl herself.

"aah!"

she yelps out loud, then blushes in embarrassment.

ignoring her earlier shock, the girl lets the frightened animal back into its cage before she gets up to answers the door, the person outside still knocking as if it's their last day on earth.

_chill out already!_ heejin thinks, as if her thoughts could reach the other person.

and just as she twists the doorknob the door swings open, and a familiar face meets her eyes.

"chuu?"

the girl in front of her beams. "hey!"

heejin raises an eyebrow. "what brings you here? as far as i know, it isn't apple season yet."

"this isnt about that!"

chuu shakes her head vigorously, her twin ponytails swinging about wildly.

"this is about - well, hyunjin's made an announcement about her plans for _marriage_."

the older girl places heavy emphasis on that last word.

and heejin's eyes widen.

"hyunjin?"

she pauses.

"you mean that hyunjin??"

"what other hyunjin is there?" chuu laughs. "anyway, i heard she said she wanted someone who was decently smart, so-"

"so what?" heejin interrupts the older (and yet so much more childish) girl in front of her.

"let me finish!" chuu pokes heejin in the shoulder. "so she said, she'll only marry the one who can open her front door with her key."

"and...?"

heejin rubs her shoulder tenderly, looking expectantly at the girl in front of her.

_she forgot - chuu's strong for her size._

"and," the older girl continues.

"the key's hung around her cat's neck."

heejin stares at chuu in confusion.

"but she's the most sought-after girl in town, wouldn't people be rushing to her house in droves?"

"people are already rushing to her house," chuu sighs. "just look at it!"

so heejin tiptoes, looking past the older girl.

indeed, on the hill where hyunjin's house resides, she can already see it - a crowd's already gathered outside.

"oh my god," she gasps, "that's a lot of people."

chuu nods. "and they all brought cat traps."

at the mention of traps, heejin's eyes flick back to the younger girl, eyes wide.

"that poor cat!" she cries, distraught. "imagine its stress!"

"and i hear people have already tried to pick her lock," chuu sighs, her usual peppy demeanour dwindling at the thought.

"so what did she do?"

"she didn’t have to do anything, since no one got in. apparently she has a really good lock."

"oh. well, that's good, then," heejin sighs in relief.

"so," chuu shrugs, her sunshine-esque smile back in full force. "i'm just going to leave now. it's not like i need another girlfriend."

"and it's not like i'm going to steal yves from you," heejin laughs.

"i sure hope not," the older girl giggles, shooting her a wink.

"well, seeya! have fun buying milk!"

the younger girl rolls her eyes, still smiling as her friend leaves.

but when the door swings shut, heejin returns to her soft chair, thoughts in a whirl.

_hyunjin._

the girl she's loved from afar ever since she was a child.

with her long, flowing hair, her big round eyes and her perfect face, heejin couldn't imagine anyone better.

but apparently, her sentiment was shared by many.

for her ethereal beauty, almost like something out of a fairy tale, hyunjin had been asked out by _who knows how many people._

whether it be flowers, fruit, or the promise of a family (which was, well, slightly iffy), it had all been offered to her.

but it had all been _declined_ , as well.

yes, hyunjin was infamous for turning down everyone who asked her out, whether it be man or woman.

(which made her all the more sought after.)

the thing was, heejin knew her when she was younger – they were childhood friends.

but then, as time passed, they drifted apart.

(like the debris of a broken ship.)

and now, she can only stare at the other girl from afar, wondering about what could have been.

heejin sighs.

_maybe she'll go and visit hyunjin._

_just to make sure the poor cat's okay._

* * *

_the poor cat is not okay._

though the crowd's mostly gone by the time heejin gets there, there's still quite a number of _very_ intent people in the area, cat treats in hand, and proposal rings held behind their backs.

heejin suddenly feels incredibly unprepared.

but it doesnt matter.

she tiptoes, regretting being so short, trying to sneak a glance at the scene in front of her.

and she can't help but _shudder_.

the orange-yellow cat in front of the house looks terrified, spooked by all of hyunjin's _intense_ suitors. the golden key jingles on its neck collar, a bright sound, enticing all the suitors to run after it and grab the key from its furry neck.

and in hyunjin's cottage, the curtains have been drawn shut, and the door has been firmly locked.

 _fair enough_ , heejin thinks to herself. _a girl needs her privacy._

passively, she watches the chaos ensue.

as some attempt to tempt the cat with fish, and some others just decide to chase it around the garden, the tabby dodges all of them, darting around as it hisses violently.

then a particularly bold person attempts to grab the key from its neck.

and his fingers barely graze the cat's fur before he's left with a growl and a bleeding arm.

_it seems the cat doesn't mind getting physical._

there’s a stunned silence.

and in that brief reprieve, the cat steps across the lawn and enters the pet door almost standoffishly, the small flap swinging shut as it goes into the house.

then the crowd recovers, and sighs echo from around her as people begin to leave.

and heejin heaves a sigh of relief as well (but for an entirely different reason).

_no one can harm the cat if they can’t even get to it, after all._

with the cat safe in its (and hyunjin’s) home, she knows she can leave as well.

but she feels like staying.

so she stays anyway.

* * *

the size of the crowd is now much smaller than before.

can it even be considered a crowd?

heejin doubts so.

there's only a few people left, after all.

only the most determined of suitors continue to wait outside, as if camping there.

and, well, _she's_ still there too.

then, a movement.

the curtains swish slightly, and murmurs break out among the crowd.

and as heejin looks carefully at the windows, watching as the fabric behind them parts, she catches a glimpse of those round eyes that she used to know _so well_ -

then the curtains fall shut again.

(and finally, a decision is made.)

with one final glance at the girl behind the window, heejin leaves.


	2. hey you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a week later, heejin meets something - or rather, someone.

it’s been a week since the announcement was made.

there aren’t any more daily crowds around hyunjin’s house, thankfully.

heejin hums a tune as she waters her flowers, hovering the watering can over rows and rows of gardenia bushes.

the falling water drops tap out their tunes on the white blooms, a strange and yet alluring melody.

she can't help but smile.

until there's a soft tickling sensation on her ankle.

she lifts up her foot on reflex, turning around to find…

no one there.

_huh?_

heejin pauses, looking around.

then a tap on her foot, slightly more insistent this time, and she looks down, not exactly sure what she's expecting to see.

and, standing in front of her, a furry paw rested on her shoe, is an orange tabby cat, darker stripes running across the length of its entire body.

it lets out a mew, staring up at her with golden eyes, tail pointed up as if in greeting. 

"aww, hello there!" heejin cooes, bending down to match its height and giving it a small wave.

the cat gives her hand a slight sniff.

then it moves forward, pressing (or rather, smooshing) its face into her open palm.

“woah!”

she pulls back, startled by the tabby’s boldness.

“i guess you’re really friendly, aren’t you?” she laughs. “well, hold on, alright? I’ll go get you some milk.”

“stay here, okay?” heejin tells the cat (even though it can’t exactly speak to her, but that doesn’t really matter) as she stands up to get a plate of milk from her kitchen.

but as she stands up, placing the watering can on the ground, the tabby steps closer to her, and when she leaves to open the door to her cottage it darts in almost instantly.

“hey!” she yelps.

_this cat sure is fast._

* * *

her white bunny stares at her, confused, as she pours milk into a baby pink porcelain bowl, setting it down on the floor for the tabby.

and the orange cat steps forward, tail high in the air, pupils dilating-

and, almost as if realising something, its ears perk up, turning to its sides, almost like a radar.

tentatively, it steps forward, giving the milk a lick, as if testing for its authenticity.

a pause.

then, all hesitations gone, it eagerly laps up the milk, evidently excited.

and heejin, watching from a distance, breaks into a smile.

then a thought surfaces in her head.

_what would happen if i… stroked it?_

tentatively, heejin stretches out her hand, running it down the cat’s back softly, and its fur bristles for a second-

before it realises that it’s just her, and it relaxes as she strokes its fur tenderly.

then the tabby steps away from the milk, moving to brush its body against the side of her legs (and also her flowy dress).

“hey, that tickles!”

heejin can’t help but smile at the strange sensation as the tabby brushes against her, her hand moving to scratch it lightly behind its ears.

a low rumble that she recognises as a purr emanates from it, and the cat’s head tilts into her hand, as if it’s leaning into her touch.

_it’s adorable._

she switches to scratching it under its chin this time, and it closes its eyes in contentment, the soft purring never letting up.

until her fingers catch against something around the cat’s neck.

“oh, what’s this?”

carefully, she tilts the tabby’s head upwards.

a collar.

and a glint of light, reflecting off metal.

and heejin pulls back quickly, realisation finally hitting her.

_a key?_

_wait, but that would mean-_

the cat mews at her, interrupting her thoughts, as if it’s asking her to scratch it again.

but she’s too lost in her mind, her hand lingering, frozen, in front of it, head whirling with thoughts as she finally connects the dots.

_that would mean…_

_this is hyunjin’s cat??_

a soft headbutt from the tabby, as if to get her attention, snaps her out of her thoughts.

and heejin can only stare awkwardly at it, finally knowing its ‘significance’, as it slowly blinks at her with droopy eyes.

she takes in a deep breath.

exhales.

and says the only words she can think of to say in a situation like this.

“oh my god.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took a while! i had projects to do (aka i had 2 speeches and 3 poems to write haha oops) :P  
> i don't really think i wrote the cat well, and i wanted to write more but i was afraid i'd bloat the scene out :(
> 
> but i hope you liked it anw!


	3. sunlight, moonlight (i'll be anything you need)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> where things come to light.

“oh my _god_.”

the tabby mews at her, trying to get her attention as she holds the key to hyunjin’s house – the key to her _love_ in her hand.

and heejin?

heejin never thought a simple key would be so beautiful.

it’s a bright yellow-orange hue, almost like it’s gold, matching the colour of the cat in front of her. the light reflects off its gleaming, metallic surface, like it's twinkling, as if it were the moon.

affixed on a pink collar around the cat’s neck as if it were a keychain, it dangles there, almost like bait.

and she’s the fish.

the cold metal’s marked with “hyunjin” in flowy, cursive script.

heejin runs her finger across it quietly, admiring the handiwork.

_i guess that confirms it, then._

she glances at the cat.

“aeong,” it meows at her, slow-blinking, as if saying “this is your chance”.

and heejin smiles.

“why didn’t you tell me before?”

* * *

the cat insists on following her, weaving between her legs as she walks, on her way to hyunjin’s house.

of course.

it is its home too, after all.

the key shines in the light as they walk, its golden gleam almost dazzling.

and it dangles from the pink collar, the chain that connects the two jingling lightly with each step the cat takes.

the tabby looks up at her, mewing, tail up in the air.

heejin bends down, giving it a scratch on the ear, and it purrs lightly, the rumbling sound coming from it oddly comforting.

“hold on, okay?”

“aeong.”

it gives her a meow in response, and heejin can’t help but giggle before giving it a few last pets and standing up.

“come on, let’s go.”

* * *

“hey heejin!”

the girl in question turns as a figure approaches her from afar, waving wildly.

“heejin! heejin! where’d you get the cat?”

_oh, it’s chuu!_

a taller girl runs after her from behind, long hair flying as she struggles to keep up with her girlfriend.

“wait up!”

“hi, chuu! hi, yves!”

heejin waves at them both as chuu skids to a stop right in front of her, her girlfriend following behind.

“what’s going on?”

chuu beams almost knowingly. “where’d you get the cat?”

“uh…” heejin pauses. “it… followed me?”

“and you think i’d really believe that?”

chuu’s tone is bright, cheery, though almost teasing, as if she’s the sun incarnate.

(heejin finally understands why yves likes her.)

_…not that she’s jealous, of course._

“fine,” she laughs. “it’s hyunjin’s.”

the older girl’s eyes light up. “hyunjin’s?! but that must mean…”

“yup,” heejin nods, mouth curving into a smile.

and chuu genuinely _jumps_ in excitement, yves smiling a slightly exasperated smile at her over-excited girlfriend.

“oh my god! i can’t believe you actually managed to get the key! you’re so lucky, you know? marrying hyunjin-”

“babe…”

yves gives her a friendly (or rather, girl-friend-ly) shove.

“oh, right, sorry!” chuu blushes awkwardly. “she’s just cool is all.”

“anyways,” yves shrugs. “i think we’ll be on our way now. have fun!”

heejin laughs. “i sure hope i will.”

and as the two go on their way, the older girl putting an arm around her girlfriend as they walk, the tabby rubs itself against heejin’s ankles, reminding her of the task at hand.

“you sure are impatient, aren’t you?”

she gives it a pet on the head.

“let’s go, then!”

* * *

they’re finally there.

heejin stands at the top of the hill, in front of hyunjin’s house.

either there’s no one inside, or hyunjin’s just feeling _incredibly_ introverted today, because both the curtains and the windows are closed _tight._

heejin pauses.

“hold on, am i supposed to just… hold you up and unlock the door?”

_she did **not** think this through._

then the cat mews, bending down slightly.

and only then does heejin realise that there’s a clasp on the back of its collar.

“oh.”

she reaches forward, and carefully, hands brushing across the tabby’s soft fur, she unfastens the golden clasp as if she were unclasping a necklace from a girl’s neck.

_click._

the collar comes off (and so does the key).

heejin holds them both reverently in the palm of her hands, as if they were a divine object.

and there’s an exasperated meow from the cat, as if they were saying “just get on with it already”.

she glances at it.

“you aren’t going to go in?”

the cat stares at her, eyes unblinking.

“i’ll take that as a no.”

hesitantly, she walks up to the wooden door.

and she’s filled with a sense of _trepidation_.

she grasps the key in her hand tight.

“i’ve loved you for so long,” heejin murmurs, as if hyunjin’s on the other side of that door, able to hear her voice.

“and you never knew.”

“so maybe this is my chance.”

_a memory._

_of her, her long hair getting tossed around in the wind, lips curving up and parting in a smile, those beautiful rounded eyes sparkling in the sun._

_of them, hanging out together, still light-hearted children, free to sing and dance and play, when the weight of the world didn’t bother them at all._

_and of herself, watching as the years passed and they grew apart._

heart pounding, heejin takes a deep breath.

she inserts the key in the lock.

and she turns it.

a _click._

heejin turns the doorknob carefully, giving the door a push.

it opens easily.

“h-hyunjin?” she calls, nervous, her hand trembling, the key still held tightly in her ever-so-tight grasp.

the house is dark, the curtains pulled shut, almost like it’s a horror movie.

hesitantly, she takes a step in, slightly scared by the darkness of the house, until-

a glow, from behind her, chases away the dark.

and in an instant the house is showered with light, illuminating all the things she didn’t see – cloth embroidered with a golden yellow sun and a silver moon, a china tea set on a steady mahogany table and a fancy white tablecloth.

she can see bread baking in the oven, a steady heat emanating from it, and flower crowns resting serenely on the counter beside it.

and yet, despite the beautiful scene, she turns around, entranced by the strange light.

it’s blinding- no, _dazzling_ , heejin instinctively reaching up to cover her eyes.

and yet she’s drawn in by it, she wants to _look_.

as she realises the glow’s coming from the tabby, she watches as it ‘stands up’, hind legs pointing toward the ground as the cat slowly becomes _less_ like a cat and more like a _person_ , its tail retracting into its body.

and she can’t help but stare in awe as its- no, _her_ form transforms into that of a human, cat ears replaced with hair that flows down like a river over the girl’s glowing body.

heejin watches on, mesmerised, as the glow fades, and the ethereal figure looks back at her, her long white dress billowing in the wind.

and as the person’s lips part, taking in a breath, heejin finally recognises her.

her eyes _widen._

“…hyunjin.”

* * *

“hi, heejin.”

and the older girl _panics_.

after all, the love of her _life_ is standing right in front of her, and even though she knew that she’d probably be engaged to hyunjin after she unlocked that door she didn’t expect _this._

“i…” she stammers. “you… you were…”

“yup,” hyunjin smiles softly, that familiar smile comforting her, soothing her nerves. “i was the cat all along.”

“oh my god.” heejin takes a deep breath, steadying herself.

“so you heard… everything?”

“yeah,” the younger girl shrugs. “maybe.”

hesitation lingers in the air.

“i’m sorry we drifted apart,” hyunjin admits.

“it’s okay,” heejin responds. “we just never had the chance to talk anymore.”

and there's an awkward silence, the older girl rendered speechless by this strange revelation.

until hyunjin breaks that silence.

“i- i love you, by the way,” the younger girl murmurs.

“i’m sorry i didn’t know you loved me too.”

heejin falters.

“it’s… it’s not your fault. i wasn’t very obvious.”

and a hint of a smile shines on the younger girl’s (perfect) face.

“i guess you weren’t.”

“i…”

the older girl pauses, a thought running through her mind.

“i was supposed to unlock that door, wasn’t i?”

hyunjin laughs. “i mean, you did, didn’t you?”

a hint of hesitation.

“i guess so.”

“well,” hyunjin smiles.

_she smiles like the sun._

“heejin, you have opened my door with the key around my cat – or rather, _my-_ neck.”

“and for that…“

the younger girl steps forward, and heejin backs up for a second before hyunjin’s hand is suddenly around her waist, pulling her backwards gently and yet firmly, and she’s bending backward, eyes wide, her hands gripping at hyunjin’s shoulders until-

until she realises the other girl’s simply done a dip and her shoulders relax, though her hands still grasp onto the other girl’s shoulder tightly.

“you’re so dramatic,” she laughs.

and then hyunjin’s hand slips, and they fall.

heejin lets out a yelp, but she lands safely, hyunjin right by her side, both of them laughing.

hyunjin’s laugh is bright and clear and _beautiful_ , and in that moment heejin can’t help but fall in love with her all over again.

how many times has she fallen in love with the girl beside her? she doesn’t remember, and it doesn’t matter.

all that matters is that hyunjin’s here by her side (as she always will be), smiling, the beautiful sound of “you get to marry me” coming from her perfect lips, and heejin’s heart flutters, as if it were a bird, flying high up to the sky, soaring and singing amongst the stars.

they sit up, still giggling slightly.

the younger girl looks into her eyes, and heejin looks into hers, the deep oceans of the other girl’s eyes ever so mysterious, ever so _alluring._

then hyunjin leans in, eyes closing, and she knows what’s about to happen.

when their lips meet, it’s like magic.

(and, considering hyunjin’s apparently a shapeshifter, why wouldn’t it be?)

the kiss starts off soft and simple, the contact light, ever so fragile, like a butterfly – like they could break apart at any moment.

but it’s only the first taste of what’s to come.

and then heejin takes control, the passion that’s been trapped inside her for so long now finally emerging, spreading its alabaster wings.

and her hands move to border hyunjin’s face, fingers brushing across the younger girl’s cheeks (like how they brushed against her fur before), then cupping them tenderly, softly, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss.

her eyes flutter shut, and she feels so _warm,_ like the kiss ignited a fire inside her – and her cheeks are burning, compelling her to pull hyunjin closer, hold her tighter, _kiss her deeper_.

hesitantly, the younger girl’s hands find her waist, wrapping around it, and like this they stay in their tender embrace, hearts beating with passion, in unison, as _one_ , every beat an announcement, a declaration of their love, like the sound of a drum that flows through their hearts and their bodies and their minds and heejin can’t help but think _i love this i love this i love **you**._

and they stay like this, entranced, _immersed_ in this one beautiful moment, neither of them ever wanting to let go.

* * *

when they finally pull away, hyunjin’s eyes are sparkling in the light, like twin pools of water, sunlight reflecting off their calm surfaces.

_it’s beautiful._

“aeong,” hyunjin breathes out, and heejin can’t help but giggle as she realises that little cat ears are poking out from the younger girl’s head.

then the younger girl realises what she’s just said, eyes widening, and her cat ears glow, retracting into her head quickly.

“sorry,” she murmurs. “sometimes when i get too emotional i lose control of my form.”

heejin lets out a laugh and a soft smile. “you don’t need to be sorry.”

she reaches out, smoothing out hyunjin’s hair (still messy from her transformation).

“it’s cute.”

a pale blush appears on the other girl’s face, her eyes looking away from heejin’s awkwardly.

“you really think so?”

a nod, and a smile.

“oh,” heejin pauses. “you know what?”

she holds up the cat collar, tenderly placing it around her now-fiancée’s neck, and when she attaches the clasp once again it transforms into a rose gold necklace, the shining key still attached to it.

“we should really start planning our wedding.”

then, she leans forward, giving the younger girl a peck on the cheek.

and hyunjin’s face turns _crimson._

“o-okay, yeah, sure!”

* * *

it’s sunset.

and as pink and purple and orange stretch across the sky, the moon rising behind, the two sit together on the couch beside hyunjin’s mahogany table, a lone candle illuminating the area.

the older girl's snow-white bunny hops around in its little cage, its tiny nose twitching as it slowly adjusts to its new home (along with heejin herself).

and hyunjin looks up at heejin, a thought popping into her head.

“by the way…”

“cats can’t actually drink milk.”

the older girl pauses. “huh?”

“yeah,” hyunjin shrugs.

“normally, we’re – or, well, _they’re_ lactose intolerant.”

heejin’s eyes widen.

“oh my god, i’m sorry!”

“it’s okay.” the younger girl laughs. “technically, i’m not a cat, so it’s fine.”

and as the sun sets and the moon rises, heejin knows that no matter day or night, she’ll always have hyunjin – her first and only love – right next to her.

_and maybe, that’s all that matters._

the day ended, but their story never did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> but i guess this story ended !! aw man  
> i might write an epilogue to this ?? like a sweet little uwu wedding thing  
> or do you guys want that? i'm not very sure HAHA shout at me in the comments if you want me to do it i guess !!
> 
> i love this concept (actually i took it from tumblr but wtv !!)  
> like a shapeshifter? who could've guessed? (actually someone already guessed it in like the comments of chapter 2 LMAO what a big brain move)
> 
> i might write more like this sometime (aka something oTHER than a highschool/college au hehe)! i was thinking of a medieval au or a royalty au? i'm not sure
> 
> though right now i do have something else in progress, so i hope yall look forward to that !!
> 
> and if you want to, do check out [my tumblr](https://2wice-in-a-million.tumblr.com) !! i post more of my writing there :D
> 
> edit:  
> SORRY I FORGOT TO LOOK THROUGH THE FIC BEFORE I POSTED SO THERE WERE SOME ERRORS HERE AND THERE BUT I HAVE UPDATED IT !!! SO THEY ARE GONE NOW YAY  
> I WILL NOW TAKE MY LEAVE AKA DISAPPEAR OUT OF EMBARRASSMENT HSHSJSHFHDJK

**Author's Note:**

> yall,,, stan loona


End file.
